The kid devoured Book Seven of the Harry Potter heptology (did you know that was a word?) in a day and a half. Came downstairs glowing, so you can guess the nature of the ending; then burst into tears.
Hey, how cool is that? This author created an entire world, conceived years of relationships, places, happenings, wrote it all down, year after year; creative, logical, magical, intelligent.
When the HP craze began, and my then first grader came home wanting to read the books, I was skeptical. I thought it must be camp; crap; silliness.
Instead, I found it was an astonishing achievement.
Best of all? She's a girl! And some of the very best characters are girls! and Women! and they're smart, and mean, and evil, and complex, and nice, and warmongering, and peaceful, and just -- people.
And my kid now thinks she can do that -- this massive act of creation and intelligence.
And Hillary showed her boobs. And Pelosi wears nice shoes. And Elizabeth Edwards is more interesting than her husband. And Martha Stewart is a tough ass businesswoman.
Not bad.
